This year’s Virginia Tech roster is one of the reasons I enjoy following college baseball prospects. Quite simply, there’s not much on this roster worth getting worked about. There are a few worthwhile 2015 follows like SR 1B/RHP Brendon Hayden, who has sandwiched two pretty good years around a dismal sophomore season and has interesting power in his 6-5, 210 pound frame, and SR LHP/1B Sean Keselica, another valuable two-way talent who who has a good arm (87-92 FB, good breaking ball) but has been inconsistent on the mound.

Even still, it would be easy to call it a down year (draft-wise) for the program and move on to the next team, perhaps returning next year if SO SS Ricky Surum starts hitting as expected or SO RHP Aaron McGarity has another solid season. Moving on, however, would led you to miss one of college baseball’s most overlooked talents. rSO OF Saige Jenco is a really good ballplayer. His plus to plus-plus speed is a game-changing tool, and, best of all, his understanding of how and when to utilize his special gift helps it play up even more. It’s rare to find a young player who knows what kind of player he truly is; the ability to play within yourself is so often overlooked by those scouring the nation for potential pros, but it can be the difference between a guy who gets by and a guy who gets the most out of his ability. Jenco knows how and when to use his speed to every advantage possible. From running down mistakes in the outfield, swiping bags at a solid rate, working deep counts and driving pitchers to frustration (40 BB/23 K), to knowing adopting the swing and approach of a power hitter would lead to ruin, Jenco fully understands and appreciates his strengths and weaknesses. While it’s true the lack of present power is a significant weakness (.032 ISO is mind-boggling low), Jenco’s strengths remain more interesting than what he can’t do well. A career along the lines of Ben Revere, Juan Pierre, Dee Gordon, or Craig Gentry, who had an ISO of just .087 in his junior year at Arkansas before returning for a senior season that helped him show off enough of a power spike (.167 ISO) to get drafted as a $10,000 senior sign, is on the table with continued growth.